WATERBURY- Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Elizabeth McLain announced today that the Enforcement Division has formally settled an environmental violation involving the Department of Buildings and General Services. The violation occurred during the construction of a storage building for one of the Department of Public Safety's Middlesex offices. The settlement includes a $6,500 supplemental environmental project.

Through the Agency's investigation, it was discovered that the Department of Buildings & General Services, in the course of doing business, placed earthen fill and commenced construction of a storage building within the 50-foot buffer zone of a Class II wetland, prior to obtaining the requisite wetland conditional use determination and Act 250 permit amendment.

The matter came to light as a result of a citizen complaint received by Environmental Enforcement Officer Sean McVeigh about possible wetland and Act 250 violations on the property in question. After his investigation was completed, the Department of Buildings and General Services was notified of the violations and agreed to settle the matter. The Department promptly completed all compliance and remediation directives as directed by the Agency's Water Quality Division and also received an amendment to its existing Act 250 permit.

The settlement was reduced to an assurance of discontinuance and was so ordered by the Environmental Court on May 9, 2003 and includes funding a $6,500 supplemental environmental project.

Involved Program: Water Quality Division of the Department of Environmental Conservation